Car, boat thief found drifting in Back Bay after eluding police

Car, boat thief found drifting in Back Bay after eluding police

A car and boat thief was found drifting in Back Bay after eluding police and deputies in several locations.

On Thursday morning, Virginia Beach Police received a report of a stolen vehicle from a victim who said her car had been taken from her driveway in the 6100 block of Pocahontas Club Road.

Later that morning, police discovered that the car had been found in a ditch in the 6200 block of Knotts Island Road.

It was also learned that the suspect had stolen a vehicle that had been involved in a single-vehicle accident in Chesapeake.

The suspect left the scene and was stopped by Chespeake Police, who transported the suspect to the Creeds section of Virginia Beach, where he continued to walk and eventually steal another vehicle from Pocahontas Club Road.

The suspect then drove to Knotts Island, where he encountered a Currituck County deputy and refused to stop.

The suspect was able to elude the deputy and abandon the vehicle on Knotts Island Road.

He then stole a 20-foot SeaArk boat from a resident’s dock.

At some point, the suspect jumped from the boat, allowing the boat to drift.

A commercial fisherman located the empty boat, recognized it, and called the owner.

Two other commercial fishermen located the suspect floating in Back Bay and took him onboard before contacting Currituck Police.

The suspect was taken into custody around 8:45 a.m.

He has been identified as 38-year-old Michael Shannon Bowyer and has been charged with grand larceny of a boat, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, petit larceny and trespassing.

He is currently being held without bond in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center. Other charges may be pending.